Month: November 2019

#2 – Topspin one-handed backhand

Welcome to my new “Teach yourself tennis” series, using the best YouTube videos

I’ll be your video curator / instructor ! selecting the best free coaches out there…

I am like this guy in the first video. I use to slice my back hand and that worked fine in singles because of placement but in doubles, the other guy at the net had too much time to see the shot and move in to volley it back. I therefore wanted to hit my backhand harder while keeping it in court. I started working on the magic topspin backhand !

The first video gives you the 4 basic key points of a topspin backhand:

  1. The grip
  2. The back swing
  3. The contact
  4. The finish

This next video decomposes the backhand movement more precisely into 5 key steps:

  1. Initiate the turn
  2. Elbow and hand position
  3. Dropped racket position
  4. Contact position
  5. Stretching the chest

This older gentleman is great (you might even relate more with him…). He explains the movement in great details and gives you his best tips for an effortless one-handed topspin backhand:

  • Good grip
  • Rubber band effect
  • Release the forearm and the wrist
  • Loose shoulders

The next video explains the most common faults:

  • Bad grip
  • not turning your body
  • not going from low to high

This last video has good slow motion shots of a non-professional player

And finally, for advanced coaching, how to get more power on your backhand….

Hope you found this video selection useful and join me for further shot specific videos soon.

Hake wrapped in Parma ham with Mediterranean vegetables

from “Cook with M&S Food”

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2x hake fillets
  • 4x slices Parma ham
  • 1x bag of chunky Mediterranean style mixed vegetables
  • 1x bag of puy lentils (pre-cooked)
  • 1x jar of M&S Mediterranean paste
  • Some basil leaves

Special Equipment

  • Medium frying pan
  • Large oven-proof pan

Preparation

  • Hake
  • Wrap 1 or 2 sheets of Parma ham around the hake fillets, front and back, and then put to one side

Cooking

  • Step 1 – Vegetables
  • Add 2 tbsp of oil to an ovenproof pan, saute the vegetables for 8-10 minutes on a medium heat, season to taste
  • Add 1/2 the jar of the Mediterranean paste and 100 ml of water to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for a further 10-12 minutes
  • Step 2 – Hake
  • Preheat the oven for later at 190 degC /Fan 170 degC /Gas
  • In a separate frying pan over a medium/brisk heat, cook the wrapped hake fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the ham is crisp and caramelised
  • Step 3 – Combine
  • Place the hake fillets on top of the vegetables in the ovenproof pan
  • Transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking for 5-7 minutes
  • Reheat the Puy lentils for 1 minute in a 900 degC microwave

Presentation

  • Use heated plates
  • Serve the lentils in the plate, with the hake fillet on top and the vegetables around
  • Garnish with basil leaves

Nice, easy and quick recipe!

Goes well with a crisp Semillon Sauvignon Blanc from Australia

#1 – Get a grip !

Welcome to my new “Teach yourself tennis” series, using the best YouTube videos

I’ll be your video curator / instructor ! selecting the best free coaches out there…

I am trying to improve my tennis, and the first thing you hear is that tennis has changed and that you need to change the way you hit the ball. No more flat forehands and sliced backhands… you need topspin and for this you often need a new different grip.

So here are a couple of good videos explaining the different grips to use:

Summary:

Continental Grip – Index knuckle on bevel 2

  • Used for volley and serve. Can be used for flat/sliced or for double handed backhand instead of Eastern backhand grip (see below). Was also used for forehand in the “olden” days…

Eastern Forehand Grip – Index knuckle on bevel 3 (large flat)

  • Used for topspin forehand (easier for topspin) – preferred choice!

Semi Western Forehand Grip – knuckle on bevel 4 (small one)

  • Used by some players to generate even more top-spin on forehand

Eastern Backhand Grip – Index knuckle on bevel 1 (top one)

  • Used for topspin backhand – preferred choice!

This second video reinforces in a different way the first video and also talks about the two-handed backhand hand placement:

But the best video is this next one which, towards the end, explains how to go from one grip to the other while you are playing.

If you are like me, and always wondered how you switch between forehand and backhand grips and how you find the time to do it in between shots. This video reveals the secret !

And finally, only if you are not sure about which forehand grip to use and wonder what the difference brings. And provided you can stand this guy’s cheesy attitude (!), go through this last optional video….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T71daxDN4ig

Hope you found this video selection useful and join me for further shot specific videos soon.